a week later...

Giggles started out small and then erupted throughout the lobby of the WEG office. "you're sooooo funny"

Meredith looked up at the girl that was sitting behind the front desk in a rolly chair. She was sitting on the floor behind the desk with her back to the wall, a Styrofoam box of her lunch in her lap and plastic fork in her hand and a can of diet Pepsi to her side on the floor. "what?"

Chris shook her head and giggled even more. "Just..boring."

A look of shock washed over Meredith's face. "WHAT?"

"chicken fried rice? come on mere, you ALWAYS get that."

A pout appeared on her lips. "but.but I like it!" She stuffed her mouth with her lunch and swallowed, trying to prove her point.

"I know, but try lo mein."

Her nose turned up. "EWW that noodly crap you get."

Chris's brown eyes widened trying to help convince her friend. "UT's good."

Eyes rolled sharply and a 'hmp' was sounded from the floor. "Oh yeah, ill believe the girl that likes sushi..."

"Whatever."

Meredith smiled a little and poked Chris's leg with the handle part of her plastic fork. "ya know Josh likes sushi."

"I know." Chris turned and looked at her. Meredith winked and smiled.

"oh I bet you do."

Chris's mouth dropped a little and she picked up an item from her desk and threw. Meredith blocked the pencil with her hands and laughed. "watch it kid you might poke my eye out! I'll sue!" She pointed and then fell into laughter.

"excuse me."

Both women looked up, startled when they heard a male voice. There was a guy there, in front of the desk setting a big vase of gorgeous dark pink roses on the counter. Chris stood up. "Oh yes, ooo flowers!"

The man smiled. "I'm here to deliver them to Christina Laros."

Chris looked a little more than shocked at the man. "what?"

Meredith stood up beside her in excitement, almost knocking over her drink. She steadied it and looked at the roses and nudged Chris. "UH OH! You go honey."

"Sign here."

Chris signed her name on the clipboard and smiled faintly. "Thank you."

The delivery man waved and turned to disappear out the glass doors. "Have a great day."

Meredith watched Chris as she read the card and a faint smile came on her lips. "WHO THEY FROM!?"

She giggled annoyingly. "hehe Jace."

Meredith tried to see what was on the small little card. "what's it say?!"

Chris pulled the card away and held it against her chest, protecting it from her counterpart. "Mere I'm not telling YOU."

Meredith shrugged. "why not?!"

"Because you'll tell everyone else."

Meredith pouted and huffed then maturely stuck out her tongue. "I will not." She looked over the flowers, pondered, and then stated. " Must be a thank you."

Chris turned her eyes to Meredith and gasped. "how you know?"

She yawned. "Dark Pink Roses, means thank you."

"And you know this because..."

A faint smile played on Meredith's lips. "I learned all the meanings of rose colors a couple years ago."

Chris laughed and took the roses from the counter to her desk and admired them. "Um, why."

"It's the way Justin proposed."

Chris's eyebrows merged and she looked at Meredith puzzled. "what?"

Meredith stared at the girl for a while and asked unbelieving. "You haven't heard the story?"

"Um no."

Meredith chuckled in shock and pushed Chris down in her chair. "Oh my. sit back down. I'll finish my BORING lunch and tell ya."

~~~~~~

"Only the lonely...dum dum dum dum de dooo waaaa..."

She sang along loud to the radio. It was a good day. A long day but a good day. She had gotten lots of work done and now she was on her way home, for the weekend. She had nothing planned except relaxing.

Exactly the way weekends were supposed to be spent.

She picked up her cellphone sped dialed a number and waited.

"Justin's not here yall. So leave him a message aiight."

She rolled her eyes but smiled a bright smile. "Babe, I'm getting out of work and going home. You must still be with Lance causing trouble. Call me if you are going to be too late. love ya." She flicked the phone off and threw it in her passenger seat and made her way to there house they had gotten together a little less than a year ago.

She pulled up the driveway. Parked her car in the garage, got out and went to the door.

But before she got her key in the door, she stopped. There was a white enveloped taped to the door with one word on it "Angel."

She smiled.

Her finger slid through the envelop flap and she pulled out a plain thick card that had his hand writing on it.

She read, "Come inside. put your stuff on the floor and see the surprise I have for you."

giddiness controlled her and she quickly opened the door, put her purse and keys on the floor and looked up. Right there at the little table they had beside there garage door near their washer and dryer was a spectacular glass vase with lavender colored roses in them. A dozen, of course.

there was a card attached to them as well. "Lavender...This color rose means enchantment and "love at first sight." I tell you one thing Meredith, when I first laid my eyes on you I fell, and I fell hard. You enchanted me. And I become more enchanted every second I spend with you. What you doin woman? Got some voodoo on me!? Proceed to the kitchen please...."

She promptly followed directions and went to the kitchen. On the table was another vase with orange roses, and a note.

"Orange Roses mean Fascination. You fascinate me. Plain and simple. You're weird mere. But only in the good ways. No one gets me like you do. I understand you soooo well that it confuses me. From the way you brush your teeth in the morning, to the way you read into every single detail, to the way you smile at me and my mind goes blank, to the way know exactly when I need to hear the words "I love you" you fascinate me. And that's that. Go to the den sweet thing..."

She didn't know what the hell he had planned. But that's usually how his surprises went. Obviously he had something in store for her. She had learned by now just to play along and in the end it would all be worth it. Plus, he knew how much she liked roses. Her Grandmother had been a rose fanatic and had pushed the same love into Meredith.. She smiled. He knew her so well. She walked in the den and on the coffee table was a bouquet of yellow roses. She sat down on the couch, pulled the card that was taped to the vase and read.

"Yellow? I know you know this one. Friendship. Before any of "this" started me and you were friends. Yeah it took us a while, but then you became my best friend, and you still are...and you always will be. Make your way to the steps love."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. She had just sat down, now he was ordering her to go to the steps. One part of her was really annoyed with this adventure, and really didn't want to trek all over the house. But another part of her hoped that this little flower finding adventure, would never stop. She got up and went to the steps, about halfway up there was another vase, with another dozen roses. They were a pretty pale pink. Once again, she read the envelope that was attached with them. "So Light Pink means grace. You are princess Grace. Always tripping over everything. Accident prone Meredith." Her mouth dropped in shock but she kept reading. "Kidding baby. Light Pink also mean gladness and joy. In all my life I've never experienced as much joy as I have when I'm with you. You make every trouble I've ever had fade...into nothing. How do you do it? Travel up stairs, look for the next vase."

She sat down the card and took the steps up by twos and in the small hallway of their upstairs, which only housed their bedroom and bathroom and a little office. She bent down admiring the dark pink roses, and pulled off the card, eager to read it and see what it would say. "I bet you are wondering what dark pink means. Well I'm gonna tell ya. Means Thank you. If I wanted to I could make you stand here for 3 hours and read about all the things I have to thank you for. But, I wont put you through that. I'm just going to simply say thank you for taking that job offer that Johnny gave you. I don't know where I'd be right now if that had never happened. On to the bedroom Angel..."

She stood there for a while, just reading over the card. She thought about it often. thought about how that one event had changed her life forever, for the better. Suddenly she had the urge to send Johnny a huge thank you note himself.

She peered in the bedroom, hoping to find him there, but he wasn't. There was though a dozen gorgeous coral-colored roses on her nightstand. They were in the vase that they always kept in their bedroom. Meredith loved having flowers in their room. She smiled, pulled off the card and giggled at what he had wrote. "bbaaaabby, I'm hot just like an oven..I need some lovin" I'm just messin with ya baby. Coral roses are the roses of Desire. It's been a couple of years and you know how much we've struggled keeping our hands off each other. But knowing that one day, we wont have to wait anymore, damn Meredith that makes me weak. I've never wanted anyone more than you, and the more I wait, the more that want is turned in need. My desire for you is soo strong. And knowing you desire me just the same...makes me speechless... rawr baby. retract your steps, and go down to the studio."

She groaned and fell back onto their bed. He really was making her go all over their damn house. They didn't have the biggest of houses but she still didn't appreciate him making her go over every inch of it. She push herself off the bed, shuffled out of the bedroom, down the hall and steps and finally wove her way through their downstairs to the steps that led to their playroom/basement/studio. It was where most of the action of the house went down. When ever company was over they would go down there. It was a nice room to have in the house.

She sighed when she turned the corner of the steps and reached the room.

But then she stopped. Her breathing got shallow and she took back everything she had thought about his little rose house adventure. The room was covered...covered with vases of red roses. She started counting. 12. A dozen of a dozen. Tears stung her eyes for some reason. She walked to the closest vase, pulled out a rose, smelled it and then pulled off the card that was attached and read his words. "Red....you know this. Love...pure and simple. Love. I love you. Only you, always you. For a long time I really thought I would only truly be able to be "in love" with my music, with performing. And then you came into my world. Meredith, if I lost the ability to sing tomorrow, or if I woke up and forgot how to dance, I'd be ok. Because you would be there. And your all that matters. You are what I'm in love with. The music and the performing is just a added bonus. Your my muse, you make the music that I write better, you make me wanna dance. I love you. You're the most important thing to me. I. Love. You. Now...carefully...go upstairs go to the front door. Don't worry your big journey across our house is coming to an end."

She wiped the tears that had fell from her eyes and chuckled at herself for being so damn girlie and emotional. She kept the rose she had pulled from the vase with her and continuously smelled in its sweet fragrance as she turned and went back up the steps and to the front door.

There was an envelope taped to the door. She pulled the envelope off and carefully pulled the card out.

She took a deep breath and read. "So I bet you are wondering what is going on. It's a simple matter really. Happens everyday all over the world. But you know me. Nothing is that simple. And if it is, I gotta make a big spectacle about it. And you will probably tell me this is the cheesiest thing you've ever experienced but I know you know, and I know that deep down, you're loving every minute of this. I know the wheels in your brain are turning. You're trying to figure out if its some special occasion that you've forgotten. Just for a moment baby, stop thinking. To your right is a vase." She turned, not even noticing the vase sitting on their table beside the front door. She was so zoned in on opening the envelope at the door. She continued reading. "There's red and white roses in it. Red and white roses, well...they mean unity. Stop thinking. And just open the door."

She tried not to think. But for some reason, she had a deep feeling in her gut of what was going to happen.

She got nervous.

She got scared.

She got more excited than she ever had, ever...

Her shaky hand was placed on the door handle and after a huge calming breath she slowly pushed down the handle and opened their front door.

But that breath didn't help her for the sight she saw.

There he was, looking better than ever in a tux, smiling. His eyes sparkled in the fading sunlight standing there on their front porch. She looked at him. He smiled. "Wh-what."

His lips pursed and he held out an arm, urging her to come closer. "Shh...come here."

She stepped out of the door way, not realizing she had dropped the card and the red rose she was holding when she opened the door. He pulled her to him and she wrapped her arms around him tightly. He smelled so good. Fresh, clean, just like he always did. She held him like she hadn't seen in months, but in reality it had only been about 7 hours. She could feel his lips on her neck and cheek, her ear and on side of her head. Goosebumps rained her skin and she shivered. He pulled her away a little and held up two roses he was holding. One was white, one was red. "Wanna know what these mean."

She couldn't speak so she just nodded, staring into his gorgeous eyes.

He smiled. leaned down, kissed her briefly with his lips, and then pulled away. His eyes bore into hers and he whispered, "Engagement."

Meredith's world started to spin. Her eyes darted from his to the flowers he was holding. She saw they were bond together by a gold band. A gold band with a diamond on it. "What?"

For the first time she saw how nervous he was. His hands were shaky as they pulled away from her and she noticed he was continuously licking his lips as he pulled away and looked at her. He took a deep breath. "I-I'm not going to make a big speech, because I..I really don't know what to say. I just."

He shook his head, looked at the floor and took a deep breath. She smiled when she heard him say to him self "you can do this"

He tilted his head, looked up at her, and she stopped smiling. He was lowering himself to the floor. He got down on one knee, took the flowers in his hand an pulled off the ring that was holding them together. His hands were shaky as he held it up to her. His eyes locked wit hers, and he timidly said, "Marry me Meredith."

~~~~~~~

"Oh my GAWD! What did you say!?!"

Meredith giggled. She was now perched on Chris's desk, letting her legs swing back and forth as Chris was putting some things in peoples boxes at the front desk. She rolled her eyes and stuck her ring finger up at Chris, letting the light from the room make her diamond sparkle. "No...WHAT DO YOU THINK I SAID!? YES OF COURSE."

Chris sighed and continued stuffing flyers into the boxes. "Honey that's wow."

"Tell me about it. I mean, damn. so anyway, what was big Joshy sending you a thank you for."

Chris shrugged. "Just last night."

Meredith's palms slapped against the desk and her mouth dropped. "LAST NIGHT?!"

"He was sick. I made him soup. Shut it Timberlake, no we didn't DO anything."

A smile came on her face when she saw Chris turning a little pinkish. "Sure ya didn't."

Chris stopped what she was doing and turned around, hands on her hips, glare in her eyes, face beet red. "WE DIDNT. WE HAVENT."

"Riiiight, and the pope ain't catholic." Meredith just rolled her eyes and giggled.

Chris stared at her for a while, smiled and then growled out, "dork."

"got that right."

Meredith and Chris turned at the familiar sound and a smile lit up on both of there faces. Meredith's arms spread wide as she watched the person that had just entered the lobby shuffle over to her and finally hug her against his body tightly. She sighed when she felt his lips kiss her cheek. "Hey there..."

"Hey Justin."

Justin pulled out from Meredith's arms and turned around, tipping his baseball hat he was wearing in Chris' direction. "Howdy ma'am."

"what are you doin here." Meredith put her hands on his shoulder and pushed him down so he was leaning against the part of the side of the desk that was in between her spread legs. She massaged his shoulders gently and he groaned.

"I'd thought I'd take ya to lunch."

Meredith giggled and pressed a kiss to the top of his curly head. "I just ate Chinese take out."

"mmmm chicken fried rice?"

"you know it baby."

Justin turned in her arms and put both his hand on the desk and leaned into her a bit, smiling like a little kid that had a mischievous plan. "why don't I take ya...somewhere anyway."

"Like where?" A smile played on her lips as she kept leaning back. He was leaning forward almost pushing her back on the desk.

He shrugged and licked his lips. "I don't care. Some place comfy where we can have privacy."

Meredith sighed when his lips came in contact with her neck. One of her hands was on his broad shoulder pushing him a little off her. It was one thing to take advantage of her at work. It was another thing to do it in the main lobby with other people around. "What are you insinuating babe."

He leaned in a little and whispered in her ear. "I think you know."

"But my break is almost over." It took a lot of will power on her part but finally she put her hands on the soft cotton material of his long sleeve t shirt, where his chest was and pushed him off her.

"but..but..."

She giggled and slapped his chest playfully. "Stop whining."

HE sighed and took his hands from the desk and put them on her waist, squeezing her gently. "but I wanna spend time with you."

"I get out of work earlier tonight."

"when?"

"3:30 instead of 5:30."

His eyebrows merged as he looked at her. "Why.."

She sighed and broke away from his face, looking down at the floor. "I was supposed to have a doctor appointment but Dr. Conner had something else to come up so."

"o oh..."

"Yeah.."

The room got really quiet, really fast.

Chris had been standing by the cubbies for a while. She had finished her job but didn't want to intrude on Meredith and Justin's time together. For the past week things had been marvelous between the two of them, almost like nothing had ever happened. They were playful around everyone else again. It was a welcome change to the normal bitchy attitudes they both gave off.

Out of no where Justin smiled and said in an enthusiastic voice. "Hey! I talk to gammalake today."

"really?"

He nodded and plopped down into Chris's chair. "She's excited about all us coming for big old turkey day."

"Well I'm excited about going there. It's gonna be a fun trip."

"Yeah, we might have to room with Stevo and Jonathan." Justin immaturely started making gagging sounds causing Chris and Meredith both to laugh.

"What's so bad about that?" Chris asked, walking over towards them.

Justin huffed and pouted in the chair, swiveling it around in a circle. "They'll hog my wife."

Meredith laughed loudly and looked at him with a weird expression. "No they wont!"

"YES! They will." After Justin said this he jumped and pulled a vibrating device out of his pocket. He flipped open his cellphone and stood up out of the chair. "Hello? Hey big daddy what's up?...yeah sure...I'm at WEG...visiting my lady...Nah sure man ill be right over. See ya." With a flip of his phone he slide it carefully into the front pocket of his loose jeans. "That was Joey. I'm going to chill with him and the baby since Kel and Bri have gone off for the day."

"Oh ok."

He smiled in a childlike manner and pushed Chris away playfully. She scoffed but ignored it when she saw he was doing it to get to Meredith. She didn't want to stare but couldn't help but watch him mold the back of Meredith's head into is hand and gently lean down to kiss her. There was something about the two of them. They were totally in love, in need, in want with each other. There was passion with them like you'd never seen before. And sometimes, there was too much passion. Chris shook her head and turned away so she wouldn't stare at them kissing.

Justin pulled his lips from hers gently and pressed his forehead to hers, whispering. "I'll call ya. I wont be long. Believe me at 3:30, when you get off work, you'll all mine missy."

She giggled and embraced him in a tight hug. "Sounds good to me."

He whispered a goodbye to Meredith and straightening himself up and began to walk towards the front door. But before he got there he turned around, ran back, and picked up Chris, swung her around and sat her down yelling "goodbye to you too Miss Kissytina."

She slapped at his arms and he let her go. Meredith was dying laughing. "Hey only Jace calls me-"

Chris stopped immediately and her face stung red as Justin started pointing to himself and singing. "Cupid, doesn't lieeeeee..."

"Go to hell Justin." Chris mumbled.

Justin gave Meredith a high five and walked to the door, pointing to Meredith. "Cant, I'm in heaven with this lady. Bye yall."

Once he disappeared, Meredith was still in giggles. Chris walked over and sat down in her chair with a pissed off look on her face. "He's so annoying to me."

Meredith just sighed. "Well, he's amazing...to me."

--------

later, late that night...

She was worried as hell. It was probably stupid of her to get this upset. He called and said he would be later than he thought, but still. Where the hell could he bed? She knew Kelly would be back by now, so Justin probably wasn't still with Joey. And she thought he wanted to spend time with her.

AT 4 he had called her and said he was going to grab dinner and be a little later than expected.

But now it was nearing 10:30 and she was worried.

She had called his cell phone but no one answered, and she wanted to call over to the Fatone's but was afraid that maybe lil Joey was asleep and she didn't want to disturb that.

She wanted him home. She needed him home. It was that simple.

The past week had been wonderful. They had been playful, romantic, all the things they use to be. His sex drive was back and she had a constant smile on her face. He wanted to cuddle and she even agreed to watch some of her most hated teams play football, just to be with him.

They were married again. And she was happy, finally.

But whenever the baby issue somehow came up things got awkward with them. They had had several moments where the room was as quiet as death, all because someone had accidentally said something about their "baby situation." Usually Justin would pull them out of the situation, coming back with a joke he heard from Chris or just something that had happen to him that day or he had heard on the TV.

She sighed and picked up the phone and pressed the redial button. It rang and rang and rang. Justin never picked up.

She sat there, slumped on the edge of the couch holding the phone closely to her chest. She got up suddenly and walked over to their front dining room. They had a big window in the dining room that faced the front yard and driveway and the street they lived on. She pulled one of the expensive wooden and cushioned chairs that was at the table and brought it to the window. She sat down at it, placed the phone in her lap and stared...out into the night.

She kept waiting for him to come home. Back Forward